Comfort in the Night
by Sanomo
Summary: While Steven is away at a sleepover. Pearl, unfortunently, has no one to watch sleep. Though someone else is willing to occupy the empty bed. Pearlmethyst


**Comfort in the Night**

Crisp sheets neatly folded and pressed flat with stars that glowed a translucent green. Pillows fluffed on top of an empty bed; unlike her thoughts.

Its tiny chain jingled lightly around its furry neck. The bear's slotted plastic lenses hid its unblinking and creepy dead eyes. M.C. bear bear didnt look so enthusiastic to her. _Steven's left you here, why? Im sure Connie has her fair share of stuffed toys. He might have a hard time sleeping without you. Maybe i should just pop over to the Maheswarans to give him..._ pearl sighed, the bear and her hands sink into her lap. Thin, long legs tucked under her rear. Toes pointed behind her, they dangled near the slight drop in the long fingers gave the bear's head a worrisome pet. Fur rubbed into a slight cow lick on its head, and then smoothed out, only to be made unkempt again.

The bed was still empty and wasn't going to be filled by a sleeping boy magically. No matter how hard she wished on the stars outside the window. They glittered prettily. She recognized a red colored one. It was the closest planet, yet still...so far out of reach, even, for her hands.

His figurines were untouched on the windowsill. A man with a giant and impractical sword was near sliced down the middle. Only his spiky head kept him together. A blue human/animal hybrid had strange wide set eyes.

Wooden floor swollen from the ocean creaked wetly as she shifted on the spot. Fixing a kazoo on the nightstand so it was perpendicular to the bed in case he needs it for, "What would you need this for, Steven?" The woman touched her hand to her head. Fingers brushing the oblong pearl affixed to her forehead. It glinted when catching the light of a beautiful quarter moon peeking out of the clouds.

Music is food for the ears, and nourishment for the soul; although, the gem found her tastes to be very singular. Oh, she had heard it all, seen the birth of much of it. But none quite touched her as deeply as the classicists could. Oiled strings, polished brass, the baritone notes that Chellos produced made her feet itch to stand and just...move to the sound that swelled to life in her head. To bend and twist her body, lull her spirit into utter bliss. Unfortunately, no one else in the house shared her interest. Maybe one day she might be able to convince Steven to come with her to see a performance. It could become something that the two of them could share together, only the two of them; their own special bond.

A pointed nose touched her breast bone as the gem's head sunk. _We don't have many passions that overlap._ Hands descending to her lap where her fingers wrestled themselves into a stalemate. The sad note exhaled had been cooking inside her since Steven had left. This sleep over had been planned for days. She had packed all his clothes well in advance. Two days before, just so that he would be ready. Preparedness was always a must. A snack, and a sandwich, in case the Maheswaran's made a dinner he didn't like. They obviously had no idea what Steven liked. So in all likely hood... _Only I know Steven's favorites._ The thought was accompanied by an indignant huff as she crossed her arms with M.C. bear bear squeezed tightly; fingers grazed its head again. A soothing repetition till she found that she could set the bear back in the middle of the bed, arms at its sides and the necklace square on its chest.

"Oh..." Resting her chin in the palm of her hand, "Steven."

"That's not Steven, Pearl. Steven's at Connie's. Duh, did you forget already or somethin? Maybe your brains infested with mites? Ha-that'd be gross." The end of the sentence shook with mirth as must have the voices shoulders too.

A light quickly bathed the room and casted Pearls long thinly shadow across the bed. Another shadow engulfed hers as it rummaged inside the light. Things were shoved aside, and glass clinked and scrapped. Then the light was snuffed out as easily as a candle, a door closes with a rough rush of air and a hard thump. All is quiet once more.

Pearl is left with the empty bed and her thoughts which took a decidedly odd turn backwards. To before, when there wasn't a bed, but a crib bought from second hands twelfth owner. The paint peeled off the posts; two of them missing which had been the reason they had got it for such a bargain from the side of the road. The sign naming the price: Free. Maybe the crib hadn't been ideal but the baby, her baby, that slept there was just that to Pearl. The gem in her forehead radiates a little as she remembered when she would use it to project a mobile over the crib. The lights had dazzled young eyes.

The crib vanished when the bed covers were harassed as a body fell on top of them. A piece of chicken landed at Pearls feet. Amethyst shoveled some left over beans into her mouth. They spilled out and dribbled down her chin in a sticky mess and fell onto the blankets.

"Amethyst! You're making a mess on Steven's bed. Now I'll have to wash his sheets." Wiping the mess off Amethysts lips, Pearl froze as she had nothing to clean her thumb with.

A hand grabbed the dirty finger and popped it inside a warm mouth. Pearl could feel Amethyst's tongue as it worked to remove the remnants. Throaty groans escaped around the digit. As her cheeks lit, Pearl struggled and won against the hand holding her still. With a wet pop Pearl freed herself. Thumb glistening in the light of the moon. A disgusting few specks had remained which was wiped on the blanket; she had to wash it anyway.

"That is deplorable."

"What's wrong is wasting perfectly good food, that's got to be a crime. Isn't that what you always tell Steven to trick him into finishing his dinner?" Amethyst ruffled her own hair; splitting the ends she hadn't had a chance too.

"It is not a crime, Amethyst. For goodness sakes...would you get off his bed before you make more of a mess." Hands reach out to the stocky grinning woman. Lying on her back, munching another piece of chicken. "And would you stop eating all the leftovers."

"How can I pass them up?" Rubbing her stomach which produces a pleased gurgle like the beast inside had finally found sedation, but Pearl knows how impossible that is to do. "Oh, man this going to be fun when it comes out. I like it when you make boneless chicken. It's so much easier without all those bones getting in the way. I hate having to fish those out later."

"I don't make it for you, Amethyst. _You,_ don't need to eat. Ugh." Bony shoulders shuttered when Pearl saw Amethyst drop food without a care. She was on the pieces, leaning overtop the other gem and plucking chicken off the sheets. Muttering to herself about the filthy habits of the gem and how she wasn't about to let Amethyst do what she did in her own room to Steven's.

As the much taller gem lamented above Amethyst, who rolled her eyes at the heaping of comments that supposedly detracted from her personal character, stopped herself long enough to take notice how the moon light made that tunic sparkle. Not just the literal star imprinted on Pearls chest. Even if the words were coming from that mouth like sludge, Amethyst liked the way the other looked. Hips tucked tight to her body, Pearls chest was that of a delicate doll's, swelling ever so slightly.

A sharp shiver split Pearls spine when she felt the hand rub her hip, head lowering between her arms to look at the other gem underneath her. Amethyst lazily moves upward feeling the hard impression of ribs. "You should eat _more_ , there's barely anything to grab here." The hand twitched for a moment which sent the others body skittering back. Back to her spot near the edge of the bed.

Amethyst lazily picked some pieces of food from her clothes. "Geez Pearl lighten up!"

"Amethyst," her tone weak, hurt, Pearl turns her head sideways, closing her eyes, "no, not here." head shaking lightly the gem repeated herself in a lower volume that could even be drowned out by the placid stillness of the room.

Fingers curled one by one. Tightly coiled, they bleed pale against plum colored skin, "Yeah, I get it." Snippy and angry and hurt Amethyst tried to let it go but her hand wouldn't loosen and the only way to do that was through the nose. A wet blustery snort that no doubt dislodged a booger hanging around, Amethyst curled on her side.

As star light touched her skin, and highlighted her curves, it sent Pearl into a fit because of the way it made the skin waxy, almost glittering. Yet showed how an absolute mess that long hair was. Torn between admiring the beauty of _some_ parts of Amethyst and being dismayed by others; Pearl laced her fingers in her lap and kept them tight so that the pain would be a good enough distraction. Lest some part of her do something she might not want to of done.

"Hey, P. Come ooon over here. I promise I won't bite you."

Did Amethyst even know that her own smile was betraying her words? The way it turned into a big toothy grin with all the opposites of a promise and all the desires she must have brewing inside.

Pearl rejected the offer with a soft no, even leaned further away from the bed.

Of course, that wasn't going to stop the shorter gem from messing around, "The babies gone, P. But if you want-I can be your baby." Twisting onto her back Amethyst wiggles her butt into the sheets, a ghastly action that had Pearl covering her mouth. Fingers twitching against her shocked face, they tickled her lips, and started a warm fire in her belly.

 _I am a crystal gem,_ Pearl reasoned against the sensation swelling inside herself. Setting her face straight, and tightening her features she drew herself up as far as she could while on her knees; butt rising a little in the air. The huff that she gave was both full of no-nonsense and frustration.

Amethyst rolls her eyes. _Why do you have to put up such a fight? Well, your grumpy face is hot too._ Dragging her body across the sheets, while messing up the perfect creases Pearl had made, Amethyst hung over the side of the bed. Hands planted on the floor she pushed herself up as high as she could go; this still only brought her to Pearl chest. That hard stare coming her way fluttered her stomach. It was only for her, always for her. She was selfish, yes, and wanted that look for herself and no one else. To cement this she reach out and flicked Pearls nose meanly with enough force to throw the gems head back a little.

"Well, I'm going to get some sleep then," Amethyst pulled apart the covers just to get at Stevens pillow while the covers were left pilled to the side, "I guess I can't get you to lie down with me?" That pointed nose shook too quickly, but with a shrug Amethyst let it go and curled around the pillow. Padding it like a kitten as a few soft mumbles escaped those big lips. Doziness overtook the gem all too easily; it seemed that even though she didn't need to sleep, heavy eyelashes still slid shut leaving Pearl to stand watch.

As Amethysts breathing began to even out so too did the mood. The room was once again plunged into silence which, maybe, Pearl wasn't so gracious for. Their little...chat? Row? Whatever; it was enough to get her mind away from thinking about Steven. Now the thoughts were resurfacing, and the gem only wondered how long it would be until he would be home again. Was he going to eat breakfast at the Maheswarans? Did he have too? No, Pearl was perfectly capable of feeding Steven when he got home. _Surely, they won't invite him for lunch. He'd be away long enough at that point._ Pearl fretted her lip.

"You know, this is creepy. I see why Steven doesn't like you watching him sleep. It's freaky the way you're hovering over me." The comment pulled Pearl back, made her let go before she broke the skin on her lip. An eyeball peeks through a thicket of white hair. "You don't-You don't!" Voice rising, the eyeball bulged and bloodshot, "Do you watch me too? Or Garnet?"

"What? No, why would I watch the two of you. Garnet doesn't sleep anyway."

"How do you know that, hmmm?" How those plump lips seems to tear through any lie she could fabricate.

"I..." The pause was long enough to make a three course dinner through, by the end Pearl didn't have anything to give, including a suitable answer.

"That's weird." Which was all Amethyst had to say before climbing over the pillow to the edge of the bed. She set her feet on the floor and they squeaked as they slid over it to touch Pearls knees, scuffing them as she tapped her shoes.

A soft hum peppered the air. It made Pearl's eyes widen. Thick fingers pawed at the bed sheets. The notes were cheery, childish; something that Pearl could imagine Steven singing. It wasn't, but it was enough to make due till she could see _her_ Steven again. As Amethyst continued to hum, her body moved with the rhythm with hips swinging smoothly and assuredly as she walked the two steps to Pearl who was held with rapt attention by the display. Legs were wide and accommodating as Amethyst settled herself on top of Pearl pinning the other gem to the floor. Short feet dragged with her as Amethyst slid till her full chest pressed tight to the flushing gem's body. Amethyst could feel the heat, not only in her Pearls but where it was pooling in her tummy. Unable to resist Amethyst rested a hand on the clothed belly and gave it a tickle to chase the butterflies out. The muscles in Pearls stomach squirm amusingly under the touch. It excites the smaller gem who leans inward. Amethyst finds her lips trapped between shoulder and neck. Pinned there by worry.

As the shoulder relaxes so the other can free herself. Pearl places a stern hand along Amethyst's bicep and gives the gem a shove causing Amethyst to slip down to the edge of Pearls knees. Anger floods Pearls face as she levels a glare. Nose as pointy as a sword it stabs with her words. "I told you no. If you can't listen then go back to your own room."

"Geez, sorry. I was just trying to get you out of your funk."

"I am not in any... _funk."_ The word has rarely touched the gems lips. It feels foreign, taboo to even utter such a low brow word.

"Yeah you are. You've been this way since Steven left for his sleep over with Con- _nie_." For someone who seems to adore all of Stevens' friends, Amethyst's words seem to hold a little venom in them.

 _She's jealous that Steven is sleeping over someone else's house. You've always seemed grumpier when he stays with Greg too._ Such a revelation would have been so juicy to use but Pearl was above such levels of pettiness. Thoughts were easy distractions. So when that warm body pressed close Pearl was startled...for a second.

"Amethyst, what-are you doing?" It wasn't...as harsh a tone as used before. More in a way of trying to understand the other gem, which could be very difficult as such a wild personality tended to produce chaotic results. Pearl didn't like chaos. It was random. Messy, and didn't follow the rules. So then why this? Hands touched the worn material of a dark mauve tunic. The strap that always fell over Amethyst's thick shoulder was adjusted and Pearl stiffened when the other leaned upon her, near sending the two of them over the edge of the loft.

That chubby cheek nestled deep into Pearl albeit Amethyst hated to be called cute, it was. The way those hands bunched up Pearls clothes as Amethyst clung. A throaty snort was aggravating, yet quickly forgotten when Amethyst asked, "Do you want me to transform?"

"Your fine. I can handle the weight."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"On the contrary you're quite light. Like a bag of grapes."

"Eww," Amethyst twists her face shrewdly, "why are you comparing me to fruit?" Grumbling into the others body Amethyst pinches Pearls arm. There is no real power behind the act and Pearl fails to even notice as she shrugs for her mistake.

It is the last thing spoken between them. The body atop Pearl settles. Sagging and shifts to get more comfortable. Smacking her big lips Amethyst loops her arms around the gems slender waist. They get all the way round so fingers can tangle and lock. No way was she going to let Pearl get away for the rest of the night. That rounded tip of nose prodded a willowy neck. When Pearl felt the wet kiss, she shivered.

As the room grows calm Pearl can hear the faint sound of the ocean through the screen door. It drifts up the short set of stairs and settles in her mind. Leaving a repeating pattern to follow along to swish-swish. The salt in the air is the only thing her tongue has ever tasted and the cold air that drifts inland always helped her relax. Usually they closed the door for the night so Steven wouldn't catch a chill. This was nice for a change; though an unwanted one. If only someone hadn't decided to make her into a bed Pearl might have gone onto the deck to watch the shore. So peaceful, so calm, being stuck on earth wasn't such a bad thing, anymore. Through the window Pearl could see, dimly, the rest of the universe. All those other words unaware of their insignificant planet as it went round a blazing star. Such a thought brought sadness. There planet wasn't worth anyone's time was it?

If not for the gem in her arms sharing her warmth Pearl would of felt very, very lonely at that moment as she saw such an endless sky. She presses a kiss to Amethyst's head with all the love she could muster to help the short gem have pleasant dreams. As she always did for Steven every night.

However, Amethyst wasn't as asleep as Pearl had thought when she feels a rough smooch that leaves her breathless. Eyes blink as she runs a tongue over her lips to refresh the sensation, or more so to check that it wasn't in her head. No, the sensation was as real as can get. The gem cringed when she tasted a combination of food items. Pearl spittle's to get a bit of beans chicken off her tongue lest it make its way down her throat unneeded. Her reaction drew chuckles, more like a rumbling purr as Amethyst straddled sleep. To this, Pearl squeezed the smaller gem's waist pulling her close enough to try to smoother her. Felt a weak pat on her lower back. All the fight left Amethyst as she evened out and her limbs weakened their hold.

As Pearl felt the weight of the other gem settle, she knew that Amethyst had finally succumbed. She wiggled her feet and curled herself inward around the body in her lap. The bed no longer occupied her thoughts; it was the sleeping gem in her lap.

 **. . .**

Life was rousing. Seagulls flapped their feathers in preparation. The deep fryers were being brought to a scorching sizzle. Crabs scuttled about the beach towards safety. An innocent and naive mailman was hoisting his sack and readying for his rounds. An ocean swept the beach making sure it was smooth and untouched and ready for young children to turn it into whatever they could imagine. A father made sure that the air fresheners were restocked, the register was full of change, and an extra chair was ready in case his son decided to stop by for a visit; combing his hair out in the reflection of the side mirror of his van.

Their beach house was nestled between the loving arms of a goddess. Her stone arms kept them safe from the surf. Plum colored lips stretched in a wide yawn as a wet rough tongue ran over them. Amethyst rubbed her cheek against the hard bony body in hopes to chase the sleep away.

"Did you sleep well?" Inquired a hushed voice, Amethyst felt the arms around her loosen to allow the gem freedom.

Amethyst leaned back. Holding onto a rib. She cracked a smile as well as a joke, "I must still be dreaming. There's a giant bird in the house." She chuckled and prodded Pearl in the nose, bending it to a painful degree that makes the other gems eyes water.

Clucking her tongue, Pearl shoos the hand away. The perfect moment was gone, as always, ruined by the short plump gem. _Oh, well..._ Pearl closed her eyes as she touched the round cheek. Her fingers squished the flesh as she grabbed hold and met the others lips in a chaste closed lipped kiss. Feathery, she pecked her lips to the others a couple more times. In hopes to keep Amethyst quiet for as long as possible, because when she stopped Amethyst was beaming.

"Wow-wee, hey babe why don't you give me some more of that sugar. Come on, don't be shy." As she latched onto the others face. The jagged ends of Amethysts nails bit hard, marring the pale skin. A yellow tint, from a risen sun, highlighted the slight hollow of her cheeks.

Pearl lays her hand upon the others gem which sits just under the end of the slop of her neck. It is smooth and polished. The cuts are clean and she follows one with her finger. "Don't be greedy."

"You're no fun...stingy." Yet Amethyst can't help but shiver when the others touch leaves. A forlorn thought is cast aside as she rises onto stubby legs. Amethyst hovers above Pearl, the gem trapped between her legs. With hands on her hips she leans over till the tip of a nose is pressed into her cheek. A wink, steady and smooth the thick lashes of her eye close and open. It brings about the warmth in her belly that Pearl had suppressed the night before, but before she had the urge to drive the action away Amethyst left; down the steps and into the kitchen across from the loft.

Pots are banged loudly on purpose, things are spilled too, as Pearl gathers herself she hears the stove ignite, and the boop-boop of the buttons on the microwave. From the top of the stairs the room seems large. With its high ceiling and slanted roof, a fan twirls lazily above her head. The breeze it supplies is useless, unable to reach the floor. Closer to the warp pad and still well within Stevens' _room_ was the rusty and dented fire pit with its long flue inching towards the ceiling. There is no reason for a fire, but seeing how empty the room was made Pearl shiver.

A ding accompanied a charred smell and a burnt bottom flakes as it is scrapped from the pan and set haphazardly on a plate. Amethyst stacks the pancakes as high and as many as she can. They lean and wobble when she moves them to the counter. The short gem hops onto the stool and picks up a bottle of syrup. Her burnt pancakes, with popcorn as a first topping, are drenched in the thick and runny brown syrup. So much that they swell. With a fork that is too small to handle such a stack in hand Amethyst raises it over her head ready to strike for the kill. As the fork pierces a squeal ends Pearls focus.

The screen door opens. With his cheeseburger backpack strapped to his back Steven walks in.

"Steven, welcome home." Pearl hurriedly greets as she makes her way down the stairs and gently touches the boy's curly black hair. He beams then walks to the couch and throws his stuff there.

"Yeah, uh Connie had to go do something so the Maheswarans dropped me off." The arm rub was always a tell for when he was lying, but Pearl was so happy to have him back than to want to do anything about it.

Pearl shuffles her flats on the floor and asks timidly, "so-how was your sleepover at Connie's?"

How his eyes lit up as he began to explain the books they read. Games they played. How he had some interesting food that he didn't quite like. "It was kind of too spicy for me. They like to eat a lot of hot things, and the chicken still had its feet on. It kind of scared me." The boy wasn't apt to admit his short coming. "Thanks for packing me some food." Steven fiddles with his hands and looks her in the eye with a hard blush.

"Your welcome, it's always good to be prepared."

"Yo Steve-man. What up?" Amethyst got the word in before she shoved another slice of pancakes in her mouth. Syrup soaked crumbs and chunks of popcorn fell to the floor. Her chin glistened with the sweet mixture.

"Aw, you guys made me breakfast. How did you know that I was coming home?" Steven looked to Pearl expectantly.

"Speak for yourself. This is mine." Amethyst hogs her plate and quickens her pace sending more food everywhere.

"I'll make you something to eat." Pearl rubs Stevens head again, as if to assure herself that he is back with her, and goes into the kitchen.

While she cooks, he unpacks his things. Connie and he had a lot of fun at their sleepover, but...Steven looks over his shoulder. At Amethyst who had finished her food and was trying to get some from Pearl as she was cooking it, the tall gem having none of it as she shoed Amethyst out of the kitchen with a spatula. Tapping the short gem on the head with the back of it, a hard thwack sound resonates against the wooden walls. The boy winces. Connie's was fun but he was glad to be home.

 **THE END**


End file.
